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Wednesday, 29 October 2014

Tàng, 烫: scald.

Miàn, 面: flour.

Tang mian is roux, made by cooking flour in bubbling hot butter.

Tang mian cake has the fluffiness of chiffon cake and the butteriness of butter cake. It has the best of two cake worlds but that's not all. It is smooth, smoother than chiffon or butter cake could ever be.

Some people call tang mian "cooked dough" instead of "roux". And the cake is sometimes called "黄金蛋糕" or "golden sponge cake". Hey, a rose by any other name . . . .
Mixing bubbling hot butter with flour intensifies the butter aroma significantly. If butter were just melted and added to the batter, or it's just beaten till fluffy, the cake would taste less buttery. Even beurre noisette isn't as good.

Cooking flour in hot butter makes the cake smooth. Why? Because when flour is coated with fat, it doesn't form gluten when it's mixed with non-fat liquids. No gluten is good news for cakes because gluten has a rough texture. In fact, pure gluten looks quite like sea sponge.

Once the roux is made, it's transferred into a bowl and mixed with cold milk. The milk is absorbed by the starch in the flour, creating a thick paste that's very hot. Unlike gluten which is rough, thickened starch has a smooth texture. That's why tang mian cake is smoother than other types of cake (when it's done right).

After the edge of the heat cools down, a small amount of egg white is added to the thick paste. When this is done is critical to the success of the cake. Why? Because the timing affects the consistency of the starch. If the starch is too thick/thin, the cake won't rise well. If the starch is just right, the cake will be very smooth. You know how good wine feels smooth in the mouth? Hey, cake can be smooth too!

After combining the roux with egg white, along with vanilla extract and salt, I add egg yolks. These are added one at a time so that they are mixed but not emulsified with the starch. The yolk batter mustn't stick to the whisk. Otherwise, it's too thick and the cake is doomed.

The bulk of the egg whites in the recipe are whisked, separately with sugar and cream of tartar, till firm peak stage.

If the batter is bubbly after whisked egg whites are added to the yolk mixture, it's too thin. Thin batter allows air bubbles to escape easily, so the cake won't rise well. It also allows air bubbles to expand easily when heated, so the cake will be pockmarked.

The batter is poured into the cake pan, slowly and from about 30 cm high. This releases big air bubbles in the batter, so the crumb will be fine and smooth.

If the batter falls in clumps when it's poured, it's too thick. Big air bubbles remain trapped in the batter, turning into unsightly holes in the cake when the baking is done. If the batter is too thick to rise well, the cake will be short and dense.

What makes the batter too thick? The roux is too hot when egg white is added, or the meringue is overwhisked. And vice versa would make the batter too thin.

After baking, the cake must be inverted whilst it's cooling down. If it's underbaked, it'll fall out of the pan and you can wave goodbye to its fluffiness. If the cake is overbaked, it'll be too dry. When the cake is baked just right, it's delightfully moist and fluffy . . . . Oh hang on . . . I think there's someone at the door.

196 comments:

So.. beautiful cake and video. Whenever I got the message from YouTube that you've got your new video uploaded, I am so happy!(I can not explain it in words!)These days, studing and practicing your recipe is my best pleasure♡ You make me keep going on my life!Thanks you♡♡♡

I think KT uses that baking pan very often.Nothing can be got without effort.She already gives us enough information in her blog.Search and find actively. Or If you want to bake cake in sqare pan, you can calculate and adjust the amount of ingredients, and fit them in your square pan.

Hi KT, i've just tried making this for my mum who loves butter cake. Everything went well but the cake came out with a few mini cracks and it deflate to half the original height after it cooled down (it did not fall out of the cake tin when inverted. It also raised to the same height as yours while in the oven). Able to

Hi KT, do you know how to make tiramisu and mousse cake? I looking the best cake of this two, also wishing to see your recipe... I know u can make this two cake very well in the end, waiting for your video soon, I am your big fan of your video. Lv u!

other question KT:In my country I not found castor sugar, the difference into the normal sugar and castor sugar is little, now, If I put more sugar in the egg white the merengue will very strong and the air not will free easy into the cake.I think that is little sugar in this recipe, how can put more sugar..? at what moment?i await your response, regards.!

hi, thanks for your response.. KT not respond.. very bad.! and yes, i think that i need baking powder, I think that the flour that use KT contains baking powder.. I think that is impossible that a cake with butter can go up only with beating egg whites.. with oil yes, but with butter not.

Ya, follow the recipe except that I used low fat milk. The cake go down immediately after I remove it out from the oven when I move the tray from the bottom to the middle of the oven as only hv one tray. It turned out soft and flat. Taste ok.

hi, thanks for your comment. I made this recipe for 2 times and the 2 times fail.. however I made this recipe and I put more flour and baking powder and the result was good. with the method of TK fail.. only with the egg whites and not use baking powder this recipe not work.

1. The bottom and sides of my cake aren't brown but yours are. Your oven temperature was too high.2. Your cake is still wet inside. Did you test the cake before removing it from the oven?3. Because your cake is wet inside, it's too soft. That's why the top collapses and forms a crater. 4. The sides of your cake aren't marbled at all. If your white batter had the right consistency, the brown batter would have flowed to the sides. Instead, it sits in the middle because the white batter is too thick. In both my write-up and video, I warn that the cake will fail if the batter's consistency is wrong.5. For your third cake, I presume baking powder is added to butter along with flour. If that's correct, the baking powder is activated when it hits the hot butter. When it's heated the second time, in the oven, there's no leavening power left. So what's the baking powder for?6. Adding more flour without increasing leavening, fat or sugar makes your cake denser, harder and drier. Your recipe works only if you like dense, hard and dry cakes. 7. I am KT, not "TK". There's meringue in my recipe, not "merengue". Careless much? I wouldn't trust you to measure the ingredients correctly. Once the measurements are wrong, all bets are off. 8. Your English is crap. Do you understand the instructions?9. I presume your camera has autofocus. But you manage to take photos that are out of focus. Idiot proof cameras, like my recipe, obviously set the bar too high.

Stupendous! Btw, have you heard this cake called Lapis Surabaya? It uses 30 egg yolks to create a smooth, melt in your mouth cake. With your skill, I am hoping that one day you will recreate (teach us the technique) this cake with less amount of egg yolk with the same result.

Hi KT,I just tried it and the result was disappointing me. I follow exactly same as yours on youtube channel and this was mine. The worst is today is my birthday and I celebrate myself with the FAIL cake!

Your cake pan is wrong. Your oven temperature is wrong. The consistency of your batter is wrong. You did not test the cake before removing it from the oven. Everything that can be wrong is wrong. Get a dictionary. You need to learn what "follow exactly" means.

Your input on "Feel sides of bowl, which should be very hot. Wait till edge of heat eases, about 30 seconds." Kindly elaborate. Do I need wait until milk and butter content is lukewarm or cool to touch before adding the egg whites?

I've not tried your recipes but will do soon. It just made my day reading your blog and the comments!! You are so bloody funny!! I've lost count the number of times I've laughed out loud. I'll admit now first.. If my cake didn't turn out its my fault!

It's such just an enjoyment just by watching the videos! I can't wait to make the cakes following your recipe, I have been an amateur of baking and I love it! Thank you for sharing your knowledge of baking with us! Love!

I m using super fine flour,is it same with cake flour as in your recipe?I try your recipe today but de cake come out thin and not as your have thickness about 2-3inch height. Any problem to de cake or maybe is the flour problem,pls comment.

Your oven was most likely too hot. If your oven is too hot the sides "stick" to the pan and the middle continues to rise. I suggest maybe dropping the temperatures you used by about 10*C.Hope that helps! Good luck!

Sifting incorparates air into the mixture making it "fluffier" and also lessens the chances of course crumbs. You probably skipped the sifting step, if you didn't then I suggest sifting it a couple more times next time!

That has to do with moisture. It's unavoidable if you put it in the fridge or store the cake incorrectly.Try the following:1) Store the cake in an air tight container2) Prefereably consume the cake on the day it's made3) Store it in a cool area that is not in the fridge.

Hi KTI made once, my husband love it so much, thanks to you!Wish you happy new year 2015!!!! Hope to see more video of your recipe, like tiramisu/ mousse cake and birthday cake cming up next year....All the best to you! Thank you.

Hi KT, thank you so much for posting this recipe. I love your precision and your expertise, the background info you gave for this recipe was really helpful to me as I've never used matcha before in baking. I've just baked the cake and it's come out great - can't wait to share it with my family tomorrow. Will definitely be back to your blog to try some more recipes x

Made this fussy cake the 4th time and finally it looked somewhere there!! This time I reduced my oven temperature much more than the recipe required, handbeat meringue till stiffer than previous attempts. But still not perfect. Sad.

1. There is a yellow patch in the middle of your cake. You did not mix the batter evenly. 2. The middle of the cake has more yolks and flour, so it has more structural support than the sides. That's why the sides have collapsed but the middle is OK. 3. How brown the cake is depends on the colour of the sugar. Sugar needs at least 160C to brown. 130C simply isn't hot enough. Your oven temperature wasn't accurate and you didn't use an oven thermometer. The blue thumbnail above links to "Cake Dos and Don'ts", which explains why an oven thermometer is necessary. 4. Everything you need to do to get the cake right is in the post. Why do you want to "improvise"?

Hi KT, I watched many tutorials and recipes of making Greentea cake and I decided to try yours because u mentioned how urs is different from others (soft and fluffy). Its very helpful and nice of u when you share the recipe and also the result how the cake will be turned out. We (beginning cake makers) then could have a sense if we made it right or not. My first time and its wonderful. Cake is not dry but soft and yummy. Still I do not have heavy whipped cream so I didnt do that part. I will try it next time. Thanks alot for spending time cooking, baking and sharing with us. Love u :)

Hi KT,Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! So far I've tried this recipe and the Castella cake, both my girls loved them so much! My elder daughter never likes cake in her past 6 years, and now she always ask for homemade cake (only). It is very encouraging to me.

After my 3rd try of baking this marble cake, it looked somewhere there. Though it didn't rise as well as the picture you posted, I'm happy with this result already because it is so yummy! My girls raised 2 thumbs up after trying a first bite. Thank you again for your time in recording the video in detailed step-by-step, with wonderful background music too! Watching your video clips are so enjoyable! :-)Cheers,Sharon

Thanks for the info on how the custard works! I always assumed it was the sugar too.I grew up in portugal, eating these at break time at school. Finally plucked up courage to have a go at making them! Check out my version at https://goodyblogger.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/pasteis-de-nata-on-the-way-to-perfection/:)

Just made this and and failed somewhat. Followed the recipe to the tee except for the 7" cake pan which I did not have so I used an 8". My cake did not rise although it is somewhat fluffy and edible. I'm an avid baker and made many chiffon cakes but this one stumped me. Will have to try again and perhaps watch the egg whites' stiffness carefully. Also, the whole premise is to cook the flour in butter but the instructions say to remove butter from heat and add flour?

Thank you for sharing this and the video. I followed all instructions , ingredients, etc and the cake is really soft and fluffy! First attempt! I didn't whip the cream but just cut and ate the cake on its own. This is my first time trying your recipe and I must try others! *thumbs up*

Hi KT, i try your recipe. The cakes tastes nice, so soft. But my bottom and side of cake is wet, it's just fine or i make a mistake? Maybe you can give an advise.Thanks for ur recipe. Can't wait to try it again :D

Hi KT, just want to say I'm really amazed with your cakes and how simple you make it seem to be. My mum went for some baking course by some big chef and was told she most absolutely need expensive mixers and ovens in order to bake successfully. Hence I've always felt intimidated about baking. It is so liberating to see what fabulous cakes you bake with just a hand blender single balloon whisk. It gives me courage to try baking my first real cake with my limited equipments. Keep up your good work!

Hi kt, Can I check what effect does the pouring of batter slowly from 30 cm high has on the cake? Also, do I need to adjust temperature if my cake pan is darker?Cake is in the oven now. Hopefully it works.

Hi KT, I tried this recipe 'Ogura Cake' turns out damn good!! Loved it so much.. One que: I used vanilla essence.. There is smell of eggs from cake.. Can u plz explain y is tht? Is there any measurement for essence too? I may put 8-9drops.

You made it look so easy....but mine failed. 😞. First of all, it was not easy to get fresh coconut milk. I thought those packet ones sold at supermarket (refrigerated ones) may work but it didn't produce the thick layer of cream shown in your video. I just continued ...the dough could not "bind" very well and I baked some . They were too hard, doesn't crumble easily. I only baked half of the total dough. Will need to throw away.... Will try to get that coconut cream right! Must try again!

Hi, KT, I had tried many times , but failed them all so far . Every time it came out pretty much the same that it is sponge in the edge ,it's all brown or even already a bit burnt outside , but it's flat like pancake in the middle and it's all wet . I have been using a 18cm x 6cm non stick cake tin , would that be the problem ? I have taken a picture of my last attempt , any ideas ?

Hi KT, How are you? I'm back again praising you for your effort in sharing us your to - die for recipes! I made your Vanilla Swiss Roll and I should say the best recipe in this Planet Earth. I shouted with joy when I got it right like yours KT. I'm now gonna try your Butter Cake and I'm sure there will be shouting of excitement and Alleluyas in my humble kitchen. Lol. KT, I'm in love on your cute hand balloon mixer what brand is that may I ask? I'm trying to upload the Swiss roll but I guess it's too big . I want to share to you my lovely swiss roll. Thanks KT take care.

Hello KT! I am very much New to baking and i'm learning a lot from you..this may be a funny question but is it necessary to use self-raising flour?how about just a regular flour?Forgive me for not being so familiar but i hope to hear from you.Thank you!

Hi KT, may I ask for your advice on my baking problem? I baked my cake on the lower part of the oven at 160C (oven thermometer reading) for 35 minutes, then increased to 180C for the next 10 minutes. I checked that a skewer, inserted right to the bottom, came out clean, the crust was springy when gently pressed and the sides of the cake just slightly contracted from the pan, then I took it out of the oven. I cut it open 3 hours later and took the attached photo. The lower part is underbaked.

I noticed that the lower part of the cake is not uniformly underbaked. Close to the sides of the pan where it is hotter, it was baked alright. I think the centre part of the cake, at the lower section, is not receiving enough heat.

Subsequently I tried baking at 160C for 55 minutes. Also underbaked bottom even though it passed the clean skewer test. Then I tried 180C for 45 minutes. Also passed the clean skewer test and bottom underbaked, but less so.

Should I start the baking at 160C, then switch to 180C earlier (or even 200C?) to bring more heat to the centre? Can you advice me on the baking please? Thanks in advance.

It was bingo for my first try using your recipe, it's excellent : moist, soft, tasty and rises to the occasion. Ready for my next project pandan chiffon but I Realised u don't have that recipe except the cup cake, how ?

Success today! I so wanted to be able to make this cake as it is fluffy unlike the usual pound cakes. And I couldn't believe why I keep having the same underbaking problem when so many others could make it work. I put aside my usual stainless steel pan, went to buy an aluminium pan and turns out that was the key to solving my underbaking problem. I'm flabbergasted.

Hi KT, I'm a big fan of yours. I need your advice on how to tackle 3 issues. My cake came out from oven with no crack. Hooray, I was excited 😊. However when I cut into the cake I see 1) holes2) uneven patches3) cake doesn't have that fluffy look like yours.

Appreciate your input on what did I do wrong and how to overcome them. This is the 3rd time I have tried this recipe.

They seem to whip better. If you forget to take out your eggs, you can place the eggs in warm water for five minutes. They seem to get more volume this way. Also, you want to use a metal or glass bowl, instead of a plastic one. The plastic bowl may have oily residue, and the eggs won't get the right volume.

Hi! I accidentally combined the cornstarch with the caster sugar :$ is it alright if I beat the egg whites into soft peaks whilst adding my now caster sugar-and-cornstarch mixture? Will it have a significant effect if I do?Thanks!

First bake and was a success-light, fluffy and super buttery:D so happy cause my oven doesn't offer no fan option gosh :(. Forgot to take pic before ppls ate it all. Found that it cooks quicker and brown quicker with fan bake.also used nonstick pan (dark colour) so the sides browned quickly, as the top rose slightly more than the edges. Thanks so much KT this is the first cake I have baked that actually rises hehehe.

My guess that the oven temperature was too low when you put the cake. You need to preheat oven at least 15 minutes before baking. Also your oven may run low. Calibrate by buying an oven thermometer, they are very cheap, and check if the oven is as hot as you set it up. I always use my thermometer to check temperature of oven. Another reason could be the temperature is too high, top cooks too fast before the inside. Basically, check your oven REAL temperature and preheat a while before baking. Hope that helps.

Make sure that your oven is properly heated to the correct temperaturebefore placing the cake inside; allow the oven enough time to heat up to theappropriate baking temperature listed in your recipe. You may want to try usingan oven thermometer to double-check the temperature of your oven. If the ovendial and the thermometer temperatures don’t match, it may be that the oven isnot heating properly. Take care to not open the oven door while the cake isbaking. Doing so allows heat to escape the inside of the oven, and causes thetemperature to fall. Opening the door too much makes it difficult for the ovento stay as hot as it needs to in order to bake the cake. This can also causethe cake to not bake properly.

This is a lovely recipe and I see that you have adapted it from another source that you credited. And yet, you left a nasty message on a blog I frequent, accusing the writer of stealing this recipe from you and calling her a thief. She credited you with the recipe, written right at the top. The only thing she did not do was link back, which was a newbie mistake on her part. Some of us take longer to learn the rules and manners of blogging. Surely, it would have been kinder to ask her to link back or even take it down, instead of calling her a thief? When she makes it very clear that she is still learning the recipe and in fact paid you a huge compliment by using yours and succeeding second time around?

Hi KT, just want to thank you for your great recipe! Being a novice baker i learnt how to bake such a delicate cake the hard way. Having tried a couple of different recipes and failed 8 times, i finally nailed it and baked a decent Japanese Soufflé Chessecake from your recipe! Cheers :)

don't try to do with the cups... KT's measurements are all with Grams... You may want to buy a cheap scale.. (I got it from Walmart online... $8.00 (including shipping..hehe). My recommendation is to follow her recipe at least 1-2 times 'faithfully'. Then, you get to do whatever variations you like. The most important stage is the meringue. For me, I knew nothing what stages of meringue. I failed a dozen eggs. Then I bought a hand mixer (the most expensive equipment in my kitchen. as you know I am poor). Finally, I saw my hard work paid off. Her recipe DID work. However, for Americans, the little cake will not be able to satisfy your appetite. You will have to double the amount. Enjoy!! My son took the final products to his lab and all of his co-workers love it!! Etekcity DKS Digital Kitchen Scales1Arrives by Thu., Jun 4$7.99

exactly... I also bought a $5.00 oven thermometer and realized that my oven is higher than the digit dial. temperature is crucial... otherwise, you won't have a great cake even if you have the best eggs, measurements, mixer in the universe. :) Good luck.

Hi KT, thank you SO much for this recipe and the detailed instructions/video! I have been trying to master a Japanese Cheesecake for a few weeks and have been failing miserably with each recipe I try. After reading your instructions and watching the video I had an a-ha! moment. All the previous recipes had instructed to fold in the egg whites very slowly and carefully with a metal spoon/spatula. It seemed impossible to mix well, and usually the eggs would start to get a bit weepy by the end of mixing resulting in a hard layer on the bottom of the cake. I followed your recipe and used your whisk method and it was so much easier/faster!!! My cake turned out lovely, although it cracked/browned too much on the top - I have a tiny countertop Breville Smart Oven and am still trying to figure out how to manage the top heat (it is so small I can't see in at an angle to watch the cakes progression, and so small I can hardly fit alfoil on top of the cake without getting caught on the heating elements!). Next attempt I will put alfoil on at the start and then take off after half the baking time. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.